“We can take away the fact that we can have a dream and that that dream can come true,” Dee said.

Soul Train promoted a style and flair some at Wednesday night’s event couldn’t help but show off.

“It’s sad that it had to come to this occasion for us to celebrate like this, but it also recognized the fact that … one of our own made such an impact on all of our lives,” said Soul Train fan Troy Winston, who donned a zebra stripe suit and matching hat for the memorial.

Radio executive Marv Dyson was one of the last Chicagoans to talk to Cornelius. Dyson said Cornelius left him three messages just hours before he committed suicide.

Dyson borrowed some of Cornelius’ most famous words to pay tribute to his friend.

“’Love, peace, and soul’ do not begin to describe the man that was Don Cornelius,” Dyson said.

Dyson said Cornelius left him one message just before his death, saying he was going to go away for a while to a hospital. Dyson said one of the last things his friend did was to get his son free tickets to the Grammy Awards, so he was giving right up until the end.